Macon County Line Traditional Cache
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MACON COUNTY LINE
Welcome to Macon County, created by the Alabama legislature December 18, 1832 from territory ceded by the Creek Indians March 24, 1832. The county seat is Tuskegee, which means “warrior” in the Muskhogean (Muscogee) dialect of the Creek language.
The county’s current boundaries, which enclose 614 square miles, were established in 1866. Tuskegee University and the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site are located here. According to the National Park Service the Tuskegee National Forest, comprising 11,000 acres (a little more than 17 square miles), is the United States’ smallest reserve, and its entire area is within Macon County. The Uphapee, Chewacla, Calebee, Cubuhatchee, Opintlocco and Old Town creeks flow through the county.
Macon County was named to honor Nathaniel Macon, a distinguished North Carolina soldier and statesman. Born in 1757 in Warren County, NC, Macon studied at the College of New Jersey (Princeton) 1774-76. He left school to serve in the New Jersey Militia in 1776-77, then went home to North Carolina, where he quietly read law. He joined the Continental Army in 1780 to defend his home state during the British invasion and remained in uniform until 1782. After several years in the North Carolina legislature he was elected to Congress in 1791 and served in the House until 1815, holding the office of Speaker of the House from 1801 to 1807. He was elected Senator in 1815 and served there until he resigned in 1828. He was President pro tempore of the Senate 1825-27.
Throughout his political career Macon was known for his negative stance on nearly every important issue of the day, especially opposing the growth of government and the centralizing of power; yet because of his unquestioned integrity and unselfish motives he was almost universally respected and liked. He died and was buried in Warren County, NC in 1837.
Macon County, Alabama, is one of several places named for Nathaniel Macon. There are also Macon counties in North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, and Illinois. The cities of Macon, MO and Macon, GA were named for him, as was Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. Interestingly, the city of Macon, GA got its start in 1806 as Fort Hawkins, the site for which was chosen by Benjamin Hawkins, Nathaniel Macon’s fellow North Carolinian and Princeton student, childhood neighbor and long-time friend.
We hope you enjoy this cache and all the others in Macon County.
And no, the movie by this title was set in Georgia.
Additional Hints
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